1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to male plug and female socket electrical connections and, more particularly, is concerned with a male plug locking device incorporated by a female electrical socket, for instance, on the end of an extension cord to prevent inadvertent disconnection of the male plug on the end of an electrical power cord of a power tool from the female socket on the extension cord.
2. Description of the Prior Art
All kinds of construction work require the use of many different types of electrical power tools. Some power tools are setup and used at stationary locations on the construction site while others are carried about the construction site by craftsmen so that the tools are available for use when needed in the performance of the different tasks.
Power tools typically utilize an electrical power cord with a male electrical plug on the end of the cord. Usually an electrical extension cord is used to supply the needed electrical power to the power tool from an electrical utility receptacle since the receptacle is ordinarily too distantly located from the power tool to directly connect the male plug on the power tool cord into the receptacle.
A frequent annoyance for the user of the power tool which causes an interruption that slows work progress is to have the male plug on the power cord of the tool be inadvertently pulled and disconnected from the female socket on the end of the extension cord. Specialized pairs of interlockable male plugs and female sockets are known in the prior art. However, in order to use them, the original male plug on the power tool cord and the original female socket on the extension cord must be removed and replaced by the specialized interlockable plug and socket components.
The disadvantage of this approach is that the specialized male plug on the power cord of the tool can not be used with a standard electrical female socket. Thus, as a result of the substitution, the utility of the power tool is diminished.
Consequently, a need exists for an approach to overcoming the aforementioned inadvertent disconnection problem without the necessity of having to exchange the male plug on the power cord of the tool.